Ted Stevens

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Yes.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I have a progress report for the Senate. Our chief of staff, Mr. Cortese, has just informed me that we have approximately 20 of the 70 amendments that were listed on the agreement almost ready for presentation for approval on a bipartisan basis. I am making this statement to appeal to Senators who have amendments on the list to bring them to our staff so we can review them now, and I hope that when we explain to them why we cannot take them, they will withdraw their amendments. I am hopeful we can pursue a process and find a way to complete action on this bill by noon tomorrow. I do hope that will happen. I will be able to present those other amendments to the Senate for approval on a bipartisan basis probably within an hour or so. Meanwhile, we cannot proceed all the way through the amendments unless the Senators give us their amendments to review. I know there are two committee meetings at this time, Mr. President. They are slowing down this process, and they are both trying to get bills out in order that they may be considered next week. We will just have to bear with the situation for a few more hours. We intend to keep going on this bill, and that may mean late tonight, if necessary. If we had the cooperation of the Senate in presenting these amendments, I think we could tell the Senate by 6 or 6:30 the number of votes we will have to have and when they will occur. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that S. 623 be discharged from the Committee on Environment and Public Works and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. (for Mr. Roberts) proposed an amendment to the bill, S. 544, supra; as follows: At the appropriate place, insert:

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet on Thursday, March 18, 1999, at 9:30 a.m., in open session, to receive testimony on the Defense authorization request for fiscal year 2000 and the Future Years Defense Program.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, the Finance Committee requests unanimous consent to conduct a hearing on Thursday, March 18, 1999, beginning at 10:00 a.m., in room 215, Dirksen.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet during the sessions of the Senate on Thursday, March 18, 1999 and Friday, March 19, 1999. The purpose of these meetings will be to consider S. 326, the Patients' Bill of Rights, and several nominations.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, March 18, 1999 at 2:30 p.m. to hold a closed hearing on Intelligence Matters.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, March 18, 1999 at 10:00 p.m. to hold a hearing.

Mr. STEVENS

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in recess subject to the call of the Chair, which will occur about 5 o'clock.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, for the information of the Senate, I have been notified that we can ask unanimous consent to remove from the agreement list of amendments for this bill the Landrieu amendments on immigration, the Edwards amendment on TANF, and the Specter amendment on unfair foreign competition. I ask unanimous consent they be deleted.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, these amendments have been withdrawn after consultation. I congratulate the Senators for their willingness to work with us and urge other Senators to come forward and tell us if they do not intend to offer their amendments. We are very close to proceeding with a package of amendments here. There is one last problem. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I shall send to the desk a package of amendments. Once again, they are amendments that have been cleared on both sides with the legislative committees as well as the subcommittees of appropriations with respect to the various jurisdictions. The first amendment is by Senator Domenici to expand the jurisdiction of the State of New Mexico's portion of the Southwest Border High- Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. Next is an amendment by Senator Roberts to provide relief from unfair interest and penalties on refunds retroactively ordered by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Next is an amendment for myself to exempt non-Indian Health Service and non-Bureau of Indian Affairs funds from section 328 of the Interior Department and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 1999. The next amendment is offered by Senator Grams to provide funding for annual contributions to public housing agencies for operating low- income housing projects. Next is an amendment by Senator Lincoln to provide for watershed and flood prevention debris removal. Next is an amendment by Senator Gorton regarding loan deficiency payments for club wheat producers. Next is an amendment for myself dealing with commercial fishing and compensation eligibility in Glacier Bay. The next amendment is by Senator Gorton providing clarification for section 2002 of the bill regarding hardrock mining regulations. Next is an amendment by Senator Gorton to expand the eligibility of emergency funding for replacement and repair of power generation equipment. Next is an amendment by Senators Landrieu and Domenici to support homebuilding for the homeless in Central America. Next is an amendment by Senator Daschle providing relief to the White River School District No. 4. Finally, there is a second Daschle amendment to provide for equal pay treatment for certain Federal firefighters under section 545(b) of title V of the United States Code and other provisions of law. Mr. President, I send these amendments to the desk and ask unanimous consent that they be considered en bloc.

Mr. STEVENS. I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendments be dispensed with.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, as I said, they have been cleared through the whole process of legislative and appropriating subcommittees and cleared by Senator Byrd and myself as managers of the bill. I ask that they be considered en bloc and agreed to.

Mr. STEVENS. I move to reconsider the vote by which the amendments were agreed to, and I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 111 (Purpose: To prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from promulgating certain regulations relating to Indian gaming and to prohibit the Secretary from approving class III gaming without State approval)

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I send another amendment to the desk, and I ask that it be read.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask for a voice vote on this amendment.

Mr. STEVENS. I move to reconsider the vote by which the amendment was agreed to, and I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Mr. STEVENS. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the adoption of amendment No. 111 be vitiated and that the amendment be set aside temporarily.